Dustin Hoffman is an American actor who gained fame as a master of method acting. He won the Academy Award twice for his performances in Rain Man and Kramer vs. Kramer. Considered one of the most successful actors in cinema history, Hoffman’s other notable films include The Graduate, Tootsie, Hook, and Wag the Dog.

Dustin Hoffman was born on August 8, 1937, in Los Angeles, California, United States. His mother, Lillian Gold, was a jazz pianist, and his father, Harry Hoffman, worked as a set decorator for Columbia Pictures before becoming a furniture salesman. His brother, Ronald Hoffman, became a lawyer and economist.

At the age of 19, Hoffman dropped out of school and began acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he met his friend Gene Hackman. Physically not fitting the traditional actor standards of the time, the two were determined to succeed through their acting skills. After Hackman moved to New York, he invited Hoffman to join him, and they lived together for a period. Hoffman later shared an apartment with Robert Duvall.

To make a living, Hoffman worked in restaurants, municipal clerical jobs, and various other occupations. After appearing in a small role on a television program, he performed in a Broadway play in 1961. He also appeared in a Volkswagen Fastback commercial before enrolling at the Actors Studio.

During the mid-1960s, Hoffman appeared in television productions such as Naked City, The Defenders, and Hallmark Hall of Fame. He made his first notable film appearance in The Tiger Makes Out, sharing the lead role with Eli Wallach.

In 1966, Hoffman was cast in The Graduate, directed by Mike Nichols and adapted from the novel by Charles Webb. The role of Benjamin Braddock had previously been considered for Warren Beatty and Robert Redford. However, the character’s required awkwardness and inexperience suited Hoffman perfectly. The film became a landmark in his career, earning him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and placing the film seventh on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest films of all time.

Following this breakthrough, his earlier film Madigan's Millions was released but was overshadowed by the success of The Graduate and disappointed at the box office.

In 1969, Hoffman married Anne Byrne, and the couple had two daughters, Karina Hoffman and Jenna Hoffman.

Hoffman received his second Academy Award nomination for his role as Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy, adapted from the novel by James Leo Herlihy. To secure the role, he appeared before the producer disguised as a beggar without prior notice, convincing them he was right for the part.

During the filming of a scene on the crowded streets of New York, Hoffman and his co-star Jon Voight narrowly avoided being run over. In the moment, Hoffman jumped onto a car and improvised the line, “Hey, I'm walkin' here! I'm walkin' here!”, which became one of the most memorable moments in cinema history.

After this film, Hoffman’s fame grew significantly. He portrayed a 121-year-old Native American in Little Big Man, a life-sentenced prisoner in Papillon, a comedian in Lenny, which earned him his third Academy Award nomination, and journalist Carl Bernstein in All the President's Men. In 1976, he worked alongside legendary actor Sir Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man.

Hoffman won his first Academy Award in 1979 for his performance in Kramer vs. Kramer. His intense behavior on set became notorious, including an incident involving Meryl Streep. Director Robert Benton later remarked on the difficulty of working with Hoffman, stating that no award could compensate for the four months spent working with him.

In 1980, Hoffman divorced Anne Byrne and later that year married Lisa Gottsegen. The couple had four children: Jacob Hoffman, Maxwell Hoffman, Rebecca Hoffman, and Alexandra Hoffman.

In Tootsie, Hoffman portrayed an actor who disguises himself as a woman to find work in a soap opera. While the film was a major success, it also led to an unusual incident when Hoffman won a lawsuit against a Los Angeles magazine that published a photomontage of him in women’s clothing.

Hoffman appeared in Ishtar, directed by Elaine May and co-starring Warren Beatty, with a minor role played by Haluk Bilginer. His performance earned him nominations in three categories at the Razzie Awards. To prepare for the role of a country singer, James House served as his vocal coach.

In 1989, Hoffman delivered another outstanding performance in Rain Man, directed by Barry Levinson, winning his second Academy Award for Best Actor. He later collaborated with Levinson on three additional films, including Sleepers. Their most successful partnership was Wag the Dog, in which Hoffman starred alongside Robert De Niro. Hoffman is a supporter of the Democratic Party.

Hoffman received the Berlin Film Festival Honorary Award in 1989, the Venice Film Festival Career Award in 1996, and the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. A grandfather of two, Dustin Hoffman most recently appeared in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, which was in post-production at the time.

Source: Biyografiler.com